Drivers And Numbers And What-Ifs, Oh My! 11/25/2014 |
I bid you welcome gentle readers, to what it is hoped will
become an ongoing conversation of things to come in the 2015 season as the
pieces begin to fall into place and the curtain of fog lifts to reveal the
approaching future. We began with talk of the recently announced Rookies of the
Year in NASCAR’s top triad of touring series, and no sooner than it hit print,
NASCAR and AP were way ahead of us with the announcement that Kasey Kahne,
surmised by many to be on his way out at Hendrick Motorsports at the conclusion
of 2015 had instead signed a 3-year extension of his contract, keeping him at
HMS through 2018.
Oh, the panic! Oh, the humanity! Whatever will happen to
Chase Elliott if Kahne stays in the #5 car? OK, first things first…
congratulations to Kasey, on keeping your job. I don’t know a better way to put
that, and I’m sincere in saying that this scribe is happy for Kasey. He’s
better than that team has shown the past couple of years, and attempts are
being made during the off-season to correct whatever ails the #5.
Come 2015, Kasey will have a new crew chief, as David Rodden moves back to Hendrick after spending a year at Chip
Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates as crew chief for Jamie McMurray. Kasey’s
long-time crew chief and mentor, Kenny Francis, won’t be going far; he’ll be
moving upstairs at HMS to take on the duties of Vehicle Technical Director. I’m
not sure what-all that entails, but it sounds impressive and quite important.
Oh yes, and not to leave loose ends, Matt McCall will assume the crew chief
duties for Jamie McMurray at Ganassi Racing.
So then, back to what seems to have developed as the burning
question of the week… keep in mind, it’s not yet even Thanksgiving, let alone
Christmas or the New Year… what is to become of Chase Elliott? Quite frankly
dear gentle readers, I have no idea. Well, that’s not quite true. I do know
that he is under contract with Hendrick Motorsports, starting with 2016,
following his “graduation” from JR Motorsports in the soon-to-be Xfinity
series. The two teams are technically owned and operated by two different men,
Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr., but Jr. drives for Rick and somewhere in
there the water gets a bit muddy and collusion, collaboration and all sorts of
skullduggery are imagined or suspected, to which NASCAR turns a blind eye
because it’s convenient to do so.
The possibilities are many, with some more far-fetched than
others. As stated, the favorite scenario among fans and spectators, journalists
included, was pretty much discounted and put to rest with the re-signing of
Kasey Kahne. There is now no reason to think he would leave the #5 team to make
room for the new kid on the block. Remember, Kasey served his time in
purgatory, spending 2011 driving a Toyota for Red Bull while waiting for Mark
Martin to vacate that seat at Hendrick Motorsports.
A press conference teaser put forth by General Manager Doug Duchardt at HMS seemed to put to rest any idea that Jimmie
Johnson would be leaving, now or perhaps ever, and when asked, Johnson concurred,
allowing as how there was someone older than he at Hendrick. If that sounds
like an allusion to Jeff Gordon, senior driver in residence, it well might have
been. There was much speculation at this time last year that Gordon would soon
be gone the way of all old drivers and become instant Hall of Fame fodder.
How’s that working out for you, prognosticators? By many folks’ count, mine
included, Gordon “should” be your new Champion, as he raced the best and scored
the most points at any point in the season where points matter.
Brian France fixed that, but not before Jeff Gordon showed
the racing world that he’s not too old to do anything that he dang well
pleases… and be the best at it to boot. It’s no cinch, gentle readers, that
Jeff Gordon will be going anywhere until he says so, and until I hear it from
his own lips, I’m not saying “good-bye” to Jeff. What then? Three down and one
to go, and that one is Dale Earnhardt Jr., who by the way, is also older than
Jimmie Johnson. Oh the sacrilege! Is she seriously suggesting that Junior be
replaced by Chase Elliott? The answer would be, “Yes and no.”
Remember, Chase now drives for Junior in the
Nationwide/Xfinity series, where Junior fields one of the top teams, having
just finished 3rd in owners points with his #9 team and driver Chase
Elliott. The new ROTY and Nationwide Champion was only bested by teams from
Penske and Gibbs, often piloted by Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch. It took that
caliber of team to beat out Junior and Chase this past year, and I see little
reason to think they will get worse in 2015. This is a team on the rise.
For several years, there has been speculation that team
might and someday probably will come up to the Cup level. That time might well
be 2016. All things are in place for the upcoming season, but after that,
Hendrick would seem to have an over-abundance of driving talent. Enter JR
Motorsports, which would definitely stand as a satellite team to HMS, not even
thinly disguised, but would provide room for either Junior or Chase or both to
run under that banner, with the same crews and crew chiefs with which they are
familiar. Of course, if Jeff Gordon should decide on his own to retire because
of back problems, a desire to watch his kids grow up as a more hands-on Dad or
whatever, then all bets are off and there is no problem. Short of that, the
upgrading of the JR Motorsports team seems a possible and even probable
solution. Ah… don’t you just love it? Silly Season is now a year-round pastime,
and we’re even worrying about two years out.
One more thing of note, and class will be out for today.
Let’s talk for a moment about car numbers, and in this case, car #9, which has
come under discussion in various venues of late because it is the number run by
Bill Elliott in the best years of his career and is piloted today by son Chase
in the Xfinity series. NASCAR owns the car numbers. Period. If you don’t
believe or understand that, please take it on faith. There are only 110 of
them… #s 0 – 99, 00,01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08,09. Yes, sometimes you’ll see
NASCAR use a 3-digit number, but it’s only for designation purposes of their
own and not a number that ever appears on the car. Each car number is applied
for (at a fee, of course) and assigned by NASCAR to the team filing application.
Applications are taken from team owners, not drivers, and no # has ever been
retired… ever!
Back in the late 1970s, the #9 was held for most of that
time by George Elliott, and his son Bill drove the car. At some point in the
early 80s, Melling Pumps agreed to sponsor the car. Owner, Harry Melling, liked
what he saw and what he saw was promise of good things to come from the trio of
red-headed brothers from Dawsonville Georgia. Melling bought the team from
George Elliott and the rest of that part is history. Bill continued to drive
Engine, Engine #9 through 1991 and then things fell apart. Coors Lite withdrew
sponsorship and Melling closed the team. Bill moved on to drive 3 years in the #11 for Junior Johnson before leaving
that team to start his own in 1995, taking the McDonalds sponsorship with him.
And here, we leave the #9 because on Bill’s own car was a
different number… number 94. Some remember, but many may not, that Ernie
Elliott, engine builder supreme, had a son named Casey Elliott. It was Casey
that was thought to be the next generation of racing Elliotts,
but alas, that wasn’t in the Lord’s plan. After racing very few times in ARCA
(once) and Busch (twice), Casey was diagnosed with cancer and he lost his long
battle with that cruel disease at only 21 years of age… 2 months after Chase
was born. In his shortened career, Casey Elliott drove #94 and Bill chose that
number to adorn the sides of his new team so as to honor Casey and all he might
have been.
Now gentle readers, it’s time for our Classic Country
Closeout. It would be appropriate I suppose to offer up “Engine, Engine #9” by
Roger Miller, but in truth, that’s not one of my favorite tunes by Roger, so
instead I chose to lead off with the smooth as velvet voice of Gentleman Jim Reeves,
doing his rendition of “The Wreck of the
Old #9.” Sad, yes, but so lovely to listen to. Please enjoy:
Next up is a true classic, recorded by almost every Country
Singer of the 50s and 60s. The first to make a hit with it was Ray Price,
though his version was far down my list of favorites. This one is from the
somewhat overdone tremolo of the Queen of Country Music, Miss Kitty Wells. It
was one of her better hits in my humble opinion, and I hope you enjoy listening
to Kitty sing, “Please Release Me.”
Finally, this last one is not Classic Country in the true
sense, but it does seem rather appropriate with the Thanksgiving holiday close
upon us. What’s better for this Holiday than a trip back to Mama’s house? Here
then are Tim McGraw and Faith Hill offering the smash hit, “Meanwhile, Back at Mama’s.”
Please allow me to wish each and every one of you a very
Happy Thanksgiving. Don’t forget to Whom we give
thanks, and should each day of our lives. God bless you and your loved ones,
both near and far. Please don’t forget to say a prayer for our military… those
young men and women that will be far from home this holiday so that you and I
remain free to celebrate it in the manner of our choice. Be safe on the roads
as you travel. We want you back next week.
Be well gentle readers, and remember to keep smiling. It
looks so good on you!
~
PattyKay